Installation for manufacturing contact spring assemblies



Nov. 29, 1960 Filed Dec. 13, 1955 A. O. JQRGENSEN EI'AL INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING CONTACT SPRING ASSEMBLIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

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Nov. 29, 1960 A. o. JORGENSEN El AL I INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING CONTACT spams ASSEMBLIES 5 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed Dec. 13, 1955 UH'UUIHHHHHH! UUUUEHHHH! RN M/r m K E N 5% M N 67 R 5 5m 0 Wm M s w 4 flkw M? w r a a M a NMW A R A. .o. JORGENSEN ETAL 2,961,752 xusmmmon FOR MANUFACTURING con-mow spams ASSEMBLIES I Nov. 29, 1960 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 13, 1955 m M NMEM Ee 0am v i: Mo Mw mm A 7% 6 5 s OFMF mmM 5 M wm P2 Nov. 29, 1960 A. o. JCSRGENSEN ETAL 2,961,752 I INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING CONTACT spams ASSEMBLIES Filed Dec. 13, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Er H Arromva v United States Patent INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING CONTACT SPRING ASSEMBLIES Anders Ossian Jiirgensen, Bromma, Per 0101' Skoldberg, Saltsjo-Duvnas, and Rune Nils Anders Thysk, Alvsjo, Sweden, assignors to Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Dec. 13, 1955, Ser. No. 552,882 Claims priority, application Sweden Dec. 15, 1954 10 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) The present invention covers assembling apparatus for the automatic manufacture of contact spring sets used for telephones, relays and other magnetic switching apparatus which comprise many parts, such as different kinds of contact springs, manipulating and steering organs and supports of insulating materials. Earlier proposed apparatus of this kind have in the main started from auto matic manufacture of parts of contact spring sets, or else sets with a number of contact springs with similar functions have been manufactured.

The present invention has for its aim to'make it possible to manufacture complete contact spring sets, in cluding different kinds of contact springs, as making, breaking and switching springs, and also a varying number of contact springs of every kind. According to the invention, this is effected by storing the different parts which may be used in the contact spring sets, in a number of feeding stations, in front of which assembly jigs with a number of slots for the maximum number of contact springs employed in a set are intermittently placed, whereby at the stations, where parts entering in a certain set are found, one part at a time is fed into its proper place in the jigs intended for this set, whereafter the fedin parts are put together, for instance by riveting, at another station and, finally, the completed spring set is withdrawn from the jigs at the terminal station. The apparatus according to the invention consists of an assembling automat, comprising an endless chain with assembly jigs, and for the feeding stations of a steering roll with curved projections arranged in such a fashion that the number and the placing of these projections determine the number of contact springs which will be fed into the jigs at this station, and in which slots in the jigs they will be placed.

The invention will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings showing one example of an assembling automat for the manufacture of contact spring sets. Fig. 1 shows a schematic plan view of the-assembling automat. Fig. 2 shows in perspective an assembling jig, surrounded with the parts that will be fed'into the jig. Fig. 3 is a detail of Fig. 2 showing a revolving steering comb entering into the jig. Fig. 4 shows in perspective a finished contact spring set. Figs. 5- and 6 show in two views a feeding station for contact springs and the steering roll passing in front of the station. Fig. 7 shows a feeding station for insulating side pieces.

' In the drawings are only shown the arrangements which are necessary for the understanding of the invention. Following Fig. 1 there will first be described'in general the construction and working of the assembly automat, whereafter the arrangements shown in the other figures will be described more closely.

At the assembly automat schematically shown in Fig. 1 thirty two assembling jigs 101 (see also Fig. 2) are fixed at an endless chain 102, which is moved on intermittently, so that the jigs 101 are moved from one feeding station to the next. At the feeding stations all the parts of which a finished spring set, Fig. 4, consists, are fed into 2,961,752 Patented N 0v. '29, 1960 the jigs, Le, a certain number of contact springs 400, a returning spring 401, a bracket 402, a lifting bar 403 and two insulating side pieces 404. In the jig are first fed-in contact springs at feeding stations 103 intended for this purpose, the number of which for certain spring sets may be as many as twelve pieces. The returning spring is fed in at the station 104. The bracket and lifting bar, which make up the stabilizing or stiffening respectively acting organ, are fed in at station 105, and, finally, the side pieces at the two feeding stations 106 and 107. Finally, the springs and bracket are joined with the side pieces at the riveting station 108, after which the finished spring set leaves the jig and the assembly automat at the discharge station 109. The contact spring set' then has the appearance shown in Fig. 4.

The assembly jigs, which are the connecting organ for the spring set parts, have all the construction shown in Fig. 2. The body of the jig 210 has two protruding shanks 205. Between these shanks are placed a number of parallel tongues 200, which are anchored at their back end. At the forward ends of the tongues there is a revolving comb 201, movable on taps 208, fixed in the shanks 205. The comb 201 can move between two positions. In one position the forward ends of the tongues are entirely free, but in the other position, shown in Fig. 2, the teeth of the comb are guiding the forward ends of the tongues. For this purpose every other tongue, which is somewhat shorter than the others, is made with a projecting point 206, which fits into a recess 207 in a tooth on the comb. The other interjacent tongues go into the intervals between the teeth of the comb. This construction makes it possible that the tongues, which are slightly springy, will be placed with a certain play between-them, so that the feeding of the spring set parts is facilitated. The tongues are consequently, as shown in Fig. 2, during the feeding-in of the springs 400, 401, the bracket 402 and the upper side plate 404 steered sideways by the comb 201, while during the fixing of the lower side plate 404, the riveting and the discharge of the finished spring set, the comb 201, Fig. 3, is lowered and the front ends of the tongues are free.

The contact springs are fed to the assembly automat in the shape of metal bands with the springs cut out crosswise, connected in the direction of the band by two or more bridges. After the contact springs have been punched out of the band and the contacts fixed and after the springs have been bent to shape, the strip is' rolled up on drums for easy feeding to the jigs. During the operation the strips are joined by welding, so that a continuous supply of strip is available. The bands are rolled on the drums with a plastic hand between the turns, so that springs and contacts are not touching each other. The feeding-in of springs into the jigs will now be described more in detail, guided by Figs. 5 and 6; which show one of the twelve stations 103 indicated in Fig. 1. At all the stations the jigs are fixed in position. To do this, each jig 101 is attached movable to a metal rail 501, which is screwed-on to the endless chain 102. At each of the stations 103 the jigs are carried forward six steps along the metal rail 501, corresponding'to the maximum number of six springs, which can be fed in at each station. This feeding forward in steps is made auto! matically by means of a revolving fixing cam 508, working on the jigs by means of the arrangement 202 (see also Fig. 2) on the jig. As soon as one step has been I made and during the time one spring is fed into the jig tions 509 on the steering roll 510. This steering roll, as shown in Fig. 1, extends along all the twelve stations 103. Twelve curved projections 509 can axially slide in grooves along the steering roll. For each curved projection placed in front of a station, one contact spring is fed into the jig. a

The coupling link 502 at each station influences a bar 511, by means of a spring 550 pressed in the direction of the chain 102. When the coupling link 502 is attached, this bar is moved, so that it is placed in the po sition shown in Fig. 5. It thereby turns the arm 512, movable on the center 551, to a working position with the upper end directly underneath an impulse standard 513. The center 551 is fixed in one end of an impulse arm 514, borne on a center 552 fixed on the stand. The other end of this arm carries a roll 553, which is pressed against the periphery of the steering roll 510. When the steering roll automatically turns the part of a revolution, which corresponds to the six movements of the jig at each station, the impulse arm 514 is influenced by those curved projections 509, which are placed at the station, in such a way that it is lifted and moves the impulse standard 513 upwards. The disc 515 on the top of the impulse standard is then brought into contact with the steering curves 516, 517 placed on the shaft 518. Thereby the shaft 518 is moved to the right in the direction from the chain 102. The shaft 518 is, by means of a connecting link 554, movably joined to a shaft 525, which is not movable axially, and is rotated by the conical drive 503, 504, in this way making the coupling and feeding movements of the feeding station possible. When the shaft 518 is moved axially to the right, the tap 519, fixed on a wheel on the shaft, during the rotation of the shaft engages into a Maltese wheel 520, which is fixed on a shaft 555, having its hearings in the stand; on this shaft also a feeding wheel 521 is fixed. Thereby the spring ribbon 400 is fed down one step, see in particular Fig. 6. When moving to the right, the shaft 518 also causes an arm 523 centered in the stand to move with its lower part to the left in the direction of the chain 102. Thereby the coupling bar 522 is moved in the same direction, coupling the cutting tool to an active position. This is then automatically actuated by means of the perpetually oscillating press bars 506, 507, and the lowest spring is cut loose. This spring is then fed down in the recess between two tongues in the jig by means of a fork 524, which is carried excentrically on the shaft 525 by bearings in its upper part, its lower part being guided by the link 556.

After this operation the jig is moved automatically, by means of the fixing curve, one step along the metal rail 501. Meanwhile, during the continued rotation of the steering roll 510, the impulse elements 515, 512 and 513 return to the positions shown in the drawing, because the impulse arm 514 moves the arm 512 downwards. If a new curved projection is found in the immediately following position of the steering roll 510, the impulse standard 513 is again moved upwards, and a new contact spring is fed into the following recess between the tongues in the jig, where this particular spring type may be placed. Should no curved projection exist, all the organs, impulse elements as well as coupling elements, return to the positions shown in the drawing. After the jig has been brought forward the six steps, the chain with the igs is carried forward one chain division, whereby a new ig arrives to the station shown and the partly filled jig proceeds to the next station. At this moment, by means of the chain 102, the six steps are obliterated, so that the jig at each station stays in the position corresponding to the first recess or slot between the tongues, in which the contact springs will be fed down. Every time the jigs are carried forward one chain division, the steering roll also is returned to its original position.

At the now described execution of the assembling automat it is assumed that maximum twelve contact springs will be assembled in one finished contact spring set. The jig is, therefore, arranged for twelve slots for contact springs. In the drawings, for the sake of simplicity, only 10 slots and contact springs respectively have been drawn. As only similar types of springs can be fed in at one and the same station, it is necessary, with regard to the need of different springs and spring sets, to equip the automat with several feeding-in stations, in the case described with twelve pieces. If for instance only six closings are to be put into one finished set, only two feeding-in stations are necessary. In the first will be fed-in the six contact springs which are turned in the same direction, and in the other one the six with them operating springs. In the first station contact springs will be put into the even numbered slots, and in the second, into the odd slots in the jig. The steps which the jig moves during its stay at a station, therefore correspond to the distance between the even and the odd slots respectively. As contact spring sets have to be provided for several different contact functions, for instance breaking, closing, late breakings and closings, as well as two kinds of switchings, and considering that for each of these functions two different contact springs are needed, twelve different feeding-in stations are needed for the six different contact functions enumerated.

As already indicated, the steering roll 510, Figs. 1 and 5, regulates the feeding-in of the contact springs by means of the curved projections 509, which can glide in slits running parallelly to the axis of the roll. It is assumed, in the described example, that at the most six contact springs will be fed into a jig at one and the same station. The steering roll is for this purpose equipped with six parallel slits, as shown in Fig. 6 and indicated in Fig. 1. In each slit are placed two curved projections. Totally, there are, therefore, twelve curved projections, corresponding to the maximum number of springs in a set. The six curved projections to the left on the steering roll in Fig. 1 can be placed in working position in front of the six first feeding stations and control thereby the feeding-in of contact springs into the odd slots in the jigs. The six other projections can be placed in front of the following six feed stations and control thereby the feeding-in of the contact springs into the even numbered slots in the jigs.

By the position of the projections 509 at the different feeding stations it is in this way possible to determine: firstly, by the selection of station. the type of springs, secondly, by the position of the slit on the steering roll, the placing of the springs in the jigs, and, finally, by the number of projections at a station, the number of springs of the same type as are to be fed into the jigs. If at any time the made spring sets should contain a smaller number of springs than the maximum number twelve, only the corresponding smaller number of projections will he placed in front of the stations utilized in this case; the other projections remain in non-working position. As already described, only one spring is fed into the jig at each step by which the same is moved, if at the corresponding move of the steering roll a projection exists in the position which the steering roll then has. 7

Of course, the slits and curved projections may be arranged differently on the steering roll. In the example described the number of slits may be twelve with one projection in each slit. When making spring sets with so varied arrangement that, for instance, in one case six contact springs of the same kind will be put into odd slots, but in another case two Springs of this kind will be put in even slots, it is possible to make eight parallel slits along the steering roll for maximum twelve contact springs.

The feeding-in station 104, Fig. 1, for the return spring is in principle built up in the same manner as the station 103. It is, however, somewhat simpler, as only one spring will be fed-in at the station. The jig stops, therefore, only in the position at the station at which the return spring 401, Fig. 2, after having been cut from its band, may be directly fed-in into its slot to the utmost right in the jig. The steering roll 510 has, of course, only one projection or curve in front of the station.

At the following feeding station 105 a unit, consisting of a bracket 402 with a lifting bar 403, as shown in Fig. 2, is put in its place in the spring set from the front part of the jig. This bracket provides guiding for the lifting bar as well as support for the insulating side pieces, which are fed-in at the following stations. The lifting bar, when actuated by the armature of the electromagnet, operates the movable contact springs in the set in the usual way.

The brackets are brought to the assembly automat in the form of plane metal ribbons with transversely punched-out bracket elements, which by means of the tool 111, Fig. 1, are separated from the ribbon, bent to finished brackets and one by one fed towards the jig. When the bracket passes the feeding station for lifting bars, one bar is shoved into the bracket from a store 112 by means of a feeding bar, whereupon the bracket with lifting bar, which is the steering and actuating organ of the set, as explained before", is shoved into the jig, which thereupon is moved on to the next station 106.

During this transfer of the jig 101 towards the feeding station 106 for upper side pieces, fixed guide bars in front of the station correct the positions of the already fed-in parts. In this way it is made possible that, when the side piece 404, Fig. 7, from a store 700 at the station is shoved in by means of coupling bar 701 to its proper place just above the springs, this side piece can be forced downwards by the press device 702, 703, so that the rivet lugs 705 attached to bracket and springs are put into their corresponding holes in the side piece.

At the transfer of the jig to the next station 107 the comb 201 of the jig 101 is moved from its guiding position for the tongues to the position shown in Fig. 3. Hereby the underside of the jig is made free and the lower side piece 404, Figs. 2 and 3 can be fixed in the same manner as the upper side piece.

The riveting lugs passing through both side pieces 404 from springs and bracket are at the next station exposed to successive riveting operations by riveting tools, by which means the fed-in parts are firmly anchored with one another. Finally, the now finished spring set is at the next station thrown out by the discharge bar 109.

The described sequences of operation at the stations 104, 105, 106 and 107 are at these stations automatically started for all jigs which have their coupling link 502 coupled-in by means of the counting device of the automat 110. This is done in the same fashion as described for station 103. The necessary motive power for the execution of the working procedure is obtained automatically from revolving shafts at the stations.

When the jig has left the discharge station 109, Fig. 1, the comb 201 on the jig 101, Fig. 3, is swung up, until it engages the tongues, as shown in Fig. 2. The jig is then again ready for the collection of spring set parts. Whether this will be done is decided by the counting device 110, Fig. 1. This is constructed in such a way that after its dials have been set to a certain number, the same number of coupling links 502, Fig. 5,, are coupled onto the passing jigs by means of a coupling arm. After that the arm is placed in position for the uncoupling of the coupling links. The chain 102 advances one more turn, whereby all the jigs 101 are emptied of their spring sets, and all the coupling links are uncoupied. The chain is then automatically stopped by the eounting device. The previously fixed number of spring sets have then been manufactured. The assembly auto-v mat can then be used for making the next kind of spring sets. The curved projections 509 on the steering roll are then rearranged as required by the new spring sets,

6 the counting device is set to the desired number of springsets, and the machine starts.

The contact spring sets manufactured in the assembly automat are quite complete and, can be directly'mounted on the electromagnetic coupling apparatus for which they are intended. This can, for instance, be done in such a way that the contact spring sets according to Fig. 4 are slid into slots of the coupling apparatus intended for them, the bracket 402 obtaining guidance against guides in the apparatus and being pressed against the guides by spring power working on the bracket. Steps or indicators in the guide are so arranged that the lifting bar 403 is correctly placed over the armature of the electroma'gnet. I V

The invention, of course, is. not limited to the spring set shown, or to the described assembling automat. Among other things the guidingof the lifting bar may be altered. At the spring set shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the lifting bar 403 is guided in its upper and .lower parts by slits in the bracket 402. The bar is kept in its normal position by the return spring 401, which has the task of returning the bar to normal position after it has been moved by the armature of the electrom-agnet. A-t certain contact spring sets it may be more suitable to guide the bar by two springs, one upper and one lower in the set. In such a case the assembly automat is equipped with one extra feeding station of about the same construction as station 104, Fig. 1, at which an extra spring is fed into the jigs below all the contact springs. The bar is then placed in slits in the upper return spring 401 as well as in the extra lower spring. The already existing guide holes in the bracket 402 are enlarged, so that the bar can move through these without obstruction.

We claim:

1. An installation for manufacturing contact spring assemblies, said installation comprising, in combination, a plurality of stationary feed stations each having storage means for a supply of a single component of the spring assemblies being manufactured, at least one of said feed stations storing contact springs for said spring assemblies, a finishing station, a plurality of assembly jigs each having a plurality of slots for receiving contact springs from each said feed station storing the contact springs, endless conveyor means for supporting said assembly jigs for intermittent movement sequentially past said stationary feed stations from each said feed station storing contact springs toward said finishing station, cam control means connected to each said feed station storing contact springs, said cam control means effecting the feeding of a selected number of contact springs to said jigs from each respective feed station storing contact springs, said cam control means including guide means guiding said contact springs into a selected one of said spring receiving slots of each of said jigs, and said finishing station having means for securing to each other all of the components assembled in each of said jigs from said feed stations.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the number of feeding stations storing contact springs is equal to the number of different kinds of contact springs included in the assemblies to be manufactured.

3. An assembly according, to claim 1, wherein said finishing station includes a discharge station at which finished assemblies are discharged 'from the jigs.

4. An installation according to claim 1, wherein the number of. slots in each jig is equal to the maximum number of contact springs used in an assembly to be manufactured in the installation,

5. An installation according to claim 1,, wherein'said control means comprise an elongated control member extending along all of said stations for storing contact springs, control elements supported on said control member in adjustable positions and cam linkage means oh" the jigs controlled by the positions of said control felements for controlling the number of springs fed to the jigs from the respective stations.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein said elongated control member is in the form of an elongated roller having circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves, said control elements being slidably adjustable in said grooves, the number of grooves corresponding to the number of storage slots into which springs from a single station can be fed.

7. An installation according to claim 1, wherein said jigs include flexible tongues separating said slots from each other.

8. An installation according to claim 7 and further comprising a guide means for said tongues movable between a position engaging said tongues for restraining the same when contact springs are fed into the slots and a position releasing the tongues when a finished assembly is withdrawn from a jig.

9. An installation according to claim 1, wherein said contact springs are supplied to the respective feed stations as continuous ribbons formed of precut springs joined by readily severable bridges of ribbon material.

10. An installation according to claim 9, wherein each of said jigs comprises settable means for limiting the number of springs receivable in the storage slots of the respective jigs to a selected maximum number.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,287,101 Reynolds Dec. 10, 1918 1,408,047 Upp Feb. 28, 1922 2,251,434 Weiss et al. Aug. 5, 194-1 2,493,590 Mueller et al. Jan. 3, 1950 2,507,072 Weber May 9, 1950 2,572,312 Burge et al. Oct. 23, 1951 2,582,501 Moore Jan. 15, 1952 2,663,204 Rockhoif et al. Dec. 22, 1953 2,686,961 Ellefsen Aug. 24, 1954 2,687,051 Brandt Aug. 24, 1954 2,723,691 Burge et al. Nov. 15, 1955 2,729,181 Kenney Ian. 3, 1956 2,734,257 Ionsson Feb. 14, 1956 2,760,892 Gonsett Aug. 28, 1956 2,769,230 Nystrom Nov. 6, 1956 

